1.     What qualities of writing are especially valued in Theology classes?

§         Clearly defined and limited topic of question

§         Evidence of serious personal reflection and well-reasoned response

§         Grammatical Correctness, Clarity, and Correct form

2.     Special considerations when writing papers for Theology Class

§         Re-write until the argument is clear to the reader

§         Reason from the evidence and not from purely subjective feelings

§         Avoid stream-of-consciousness writing

§         End all papers with a clear statement of you conclusions

3.     How do I cite the Bible and its books?

§         The Bible, books within it, versions of it, and other sacred writings are books that  you do not underline or italicize (New Testament, not New Testament; Koran, not Koran).

§         When quoting directly from the Bible, offer parenthetical citations that include book, chapter and verse. (Genesis 2:4)

§         Check for proper abbreviations of certain books in the Bible (They are usually found within the preface)

4.     Tips for writing papers

§         Always capitalize God, Lord, Yahweh or words that describe Him...His, Him, He...

§         Typically, when you cite scripture within the context of a paper, if you are using the King James translation or the RSV (Revised Standard Version) you do not need to include the Bible in your Works Cited list.  Other version should be cited.  Here are some examples of how to cite:

The New English Bible.  NY:  Oxford University Press, 1972.

Harris, Stephen L.  Understanding the Bible. 3^rd ed. Mountain View, CA:  Mayfield, Publishing Co., 1992.